Baking Zoella's cupcakes with friends!

I had such a lovely evening yesterday with two of my best friends. We baked Zoella's pumpkin spiced cupcakes with cinnamon cream cheese frosting. I also picked up some cute Halloween cupcake cases and decorations from Asda. 

I love baking with friends, we had such a laugh!

Great tip from my friend Jess...when using American recipes, add slightly more raising agent as American agents tend to be stronger than those we get here.

 

Check out Colin Cook Book!!!

One of my best mates is working on a fantastic project. The Colin Cook series is a new story/cookbook hybrid that teaches children how to cook whilst entertaining them with an enjoyable tale. I think it's such a great concept with delicious recipes and the books are illustrated beautifully. Go check it out!

 

https://www.facebook.com/colincookbook

https://twitter.com/colincookbook

colincookbook@yahoo.co.uk
 

Coconut Pumpkin Pie

This recipe is a twist on the traditional, autumn pie.

 

400g plain flour

200g butter

1/2 a pumpkin

Can of coconut milk

3 tbsp dark brown sugar

1 tbsp mixed spice

1 tbsp cinnamon

2 eggs

4 tbsp toasted desiccated coconut

Cube the pumpkin and cut off the skin. Roast in the oven at 200C/Gas 6 for 25 minutes until soft. 

For the pastry, pulse the butter and flour together in a food processor until it comes together, you may need to add a dash of milk. Leave to chill for a while then roll out and line a pie tin. Bake blind at 200C/Gas 6 for twenty minutes.

 

Purée the roasted pumpkin in a food processor. 

In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs then add the remaining pie ingredients, including the puréed pumpkin. 

Pour into the pastry case. Bake at 180C/Gas 4 for 40 minutes until set but still slightly wobbly. Then sprinkle on the coconut.

Baby Cakes!

I made these blue and pink cupcakes for my friend who was expecting her first baby! I used my basic vanilla cake and butter cream recipes. Colouring half the butter cream accordingly. Milk bottles and white chocolate buttons to decorate! Great for a baby shower.

Strong Adolfos near Wadebridge, Cornwall

I've visited this café a couple of times. This picture shows a cranberry scone I had recently. It was served with lemon curd and clotted cream. They serve a number of bakes that change daily, and once they're gone, they're gone.  Daily lunch specials are also available that change regularly. It's fairly expensive, however good for a rainy day where you want to warm up with a nice cup of tea or coffee.

http://www.strongadolfos.com/

Bone China, Truro, Cornwall

I went with my beautiful mum to this vintage cocktail café in Truro. The attention to detail in this place is perfect, great for afternoon tea. The staff couldn't have been more helpful and everything was freshly prepared. 

http://www.bonechinatruro.com/

Chocolatey Chocolate Cake

I decorated this cake with as much chocolate as I could squeeze on! I went for white chocolate and milk chocolate buttons, chocolate orange, white chocolate and milk chocolate fingers and chocolate curls!

Sprinkles Cupcakes!

Basic vanilla cupcakes and butter cream.

 

Weigh two eggs in their shells. Use this weight for the butter, sugar and self raising flour. Cream the butter and sugar together then whisk in the eggs. Stir in the flour and add a splash of vanilla extract. Bake at 180C/Gas 4 for 10-15 minutes until golden brown.

 

Cream 100g of butter, 200g of icing sugar and a splash of milk for 5 minutes then decorate the cupcakes.

 

 

Chocolate Cheesecake

 Really simple but effective recipe for this one.

 

300g digestive biscuits

140g butter

500g cream cheese

300ml double cream

150g milk chocolate

 

Melt the butter, crush the biscuits then combine. Press the base mix into a tin. Melt the chocolate and leave to cool slightly. Whip up the cream until thickened then whisk in the cream cheese. Add the chocolate to the cream mix and combine. Pour mix onto the base and leave to chill for as long as you can resist!

 

Decorate with any fruit or chocolate you fancy.

The Waterfront, Plymouth

This was a perfect dessert. It was described as a chocolate budino, which I'd never heard of before. The thick Italian custard was coupled with a cardamom cream, mango salsa and mango sorbet. Every element complemented the next. Completely delightful.

 

http://www.waterfront-plymouth.co.uk/

Pumpkin Spice Lattes are back!!

So excited for this time of year as it means Starbucks' PSLs are back!

The Breakfast Club, Brighton

Possibly the best breakfast I've ever had! The breakfast specialists definitely got this one right. Thick American pancakes with bacon and maple syrup. Incredible. It filled me up for the whole day. Great atmosphere, diner-like experience. There's also a few Breakfast clubs dotted around London. Pay a visit!

http://www.thebreakfastclubcafes.com/locations/brighton/

Budapest!

This is a selection of tasty treats I sampled in Budapest recently. A velvety smooth caramel panna cotta.  THE BEST chai latte I have ever had. A blackberry bramble cocktail in a ruin bar. And finally a beautiful chocolate fondant pudding. All very indulgent!

Lego Cupcakes

I iced these simple vanilla cupcakes with butter cream then used fondant to create the Lego bricks. It was quite time consuming making lots of little fondant balls, but they seemed to go down well at my nephew's fifth birthday party!